A Mother's Love
by IndyGirl89
Summary: A mother's love never wavers. It grows stronger with each passing year. Watch Anna and Elsa's love for their children grow stronger with each new addition. A three-shot about the sisters welcoming the newest members of the Arendelle royal family.
1. Another New Princess

**Hey guys! So, recently, I came up with an idea for another multi-chap featuring Kristanna and Elsrik's (Elsa and Fredrik) children in great prominence, but the problem is that I have yet to introduce all of them. I figured that since I've already introduced Kirsten and Bella, it was only fair to introduce the others before I went off and started writing it. So that's what this fic is about. This first chapter introduces Susanna, Anna and Kristoff's second child. I did sorta introduce her in "Life is Beautiful", but this will be her "formal" introduction, so to speak. It takes place about a month before "Life is Beautiful". Anyway, hope you enjoy, and please review! DISCLAIMER: I do not own Frozen or any of its characters; just my OCs.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Another New Princess**

"Anna, are you sure you should be doing this?"

"Kristoff, I've been stuck in that bed for the last three months. I need to get up and walk around, even if it's just for five minutes."

It was just after noon. Anna and Kristoff were taking a walk around the castle. But as Anna was heavily pregnant with her and Kristoff's second child, she had to go slowly and stop frequently. But that didn't matter; as long as she was able to move around at all, it was worth it.

"But Anna, you know what Dr. Olsen said," said Kristoff. Dr. Olsen was the family doctor. He had ordered Anna to go on strict bed rest the last three months of her pregnancy. Surprisingly, this was only the first time she had disobeyed him. "If he found out that I let you get out of bed, he'd have my head."

"He doesn't have to know," said Anna, smirking at him.

"Anna, we can't lie to the doctor," Kristoff protested.

"It's not really lying, per se," said Anna. "It's just withholding the truth."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Kristoff asked.

"No," said Anna firmly, though she wasn't really sure herself.

They continued their walk, but before they had reached the end of the hall, a door opened on their right and Elsa emerged from her study. When she saw Anna walking down the hall, her brow furrowed and she went over to her.

"Anna, what are you doing?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Anna asked. "I'm taking a walk."

"Anna, you know what the doctor—"

"I know what he said!" Anna interrupted. "It was only going to be for a few minutes."

"No, Anna, you're too far along now to exercise anymore," said Elsa firmly. "The baby could be born any day. It's best that you're in bed when your pains start. Now, come on, back to bed with you." She put her hands on Anna's shoulders and turned her back toward her room.

"You two!" said Anna exasperatedly, throwing up her hands. "Both of you are like mother hens! I can take care of myself!"

"I know you can," said Elsa, putting an arm around her shoulders and leading her back down the hall. "Now why don't you start by going back to bed?"

"But Elsa—"

"No buts," said Elsa firmly. "You need to take care of the baby, too. It's the same as when you were carrying Kirsten; it's not just about you anymore. Besides, rest is crucial for a safe and successful delivery."

Anna sighed in defeat. She knew it was no good to argue. Elsa was in queen mode, and when she was in queen mode, there was no going around her. She looked helplessly at Kristoff, who just shrugged as if to say "I told you so". She then allowed Elsa to lead her back to her and Kristoff's bedroom and tuck her back into bed.

"Now, I have to take care of a few things, but I'll be back to check on you later," said Elsa, tucking the blankets around her.

"Okay," said Anna listlessly.

"I love you," said Elsa before she left.

"I love you, too," said Anna, and she was left alone.

* * *

Sometime later, Anna was dozing when the door suddenly burst open, startling her awake. Kirsten came in, a bunch of somewhat droopy flowers clutched in her hand.

"Hi Mama!" she said cheerfully.

"Hello, my little angel," said Anna, smiling.

"I picked these for you!" Kirsten said, holding out the flowers.

"They're beautiful, thank you, sweetie," said Anna, taking the flowers. "Come up here on the bed by me." She patted the bed beside her and Kirsten scrambled up to sit next to her.

"Feel better, Mama?" Kirsten asked.

"What do you mean, angel?" Anna asked.

"Auntie Elsa says you has to stay in your room," said Kirsten. "Are you sick?"

"No, I'm not sick, just tired," Anna answered.

"Oh," said Kirsten. "Why tired, Mama?"

"The baby makes me tired," said Anna.

"Oh," said Kirsten again. "Is it a baby bwudder or a baby sister?"

"I don't know yet," Anna answered. "What would you like it to be?"

"Hmm," said Kirsten, thinking. "Baby sister!"

"Well, you know what?" said Anna. "I want a baby sister, too."

"Yay!" said Kirsten. "Papa want a baby sister, too?"

"I don't know," Anan answered. "I haven't asked him."

"Well, I still want a baby sister," said Kirsten.

Anna chuckled. Kirsten was just like her in many ways.

For the next couple hours, mother and daughter giggled and talked until Kirsten fell asleep sprawled in Anna's lap; or, rather, on her legs, as she didn't have much of a lap. Not wanting to disturb Kirsten or cause discomfort to herself, she carefully moved her off to lay her down beside her.

Around mid-afternoon, Anna was reading when there was a light knock on her door and Fredrik poked his head in. "Anybody home?" he said, smiling.

"Hey," said Anna, smiling and setting aside her book. "Come on in."

Fredrik opened the door wider and stepped into the room. "Elsa's stuck in a meeting, so she asked me to check up on you," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," said Anna. "Going a bit crazy, but I guess that's to be expected. I wonder if Elsa ever felt like this while she was expecting Bella." She smiled.

"She did, but not nearly as much as you," said Fredrik, smiling back. "She seems to have a lot more patience than you do."

"She's always been like that," said Anna. "I've never understood it." She tried sitting up a bit but hissed when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

Fredrik noticed, and his teasing expression immediately turned to one of concern. "Anna, are you all right?" he asked, kneeling down beside the bed.

"I think so," Anna said, rubbing her rounded stomach. "It must have just been the sudden shift in position, that's all."

"Are you sure?" Fredrik asked.

"Fredrik, don't you start acting like Elsa and Kristoff now," said Anna. "I told you I'm—" But then she gasped as she felt another sharp pain and then a gush of fluids leaving her body. "Oh no."

"What?" said Fredrik, looking even more concerned.

"The baby," Anna whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. "I think it's time. Get Elsa."

"But Elsa's in the middle of a meeting," Fredrik stammered.

"I don't care!" said Anna, tensing as another pain shot through her. "Just get her here now!"

Fredrik got up and bolted for the door. Anna heard a stirring and saw that Kirsten had woken up. "Mama?" she said sleepily. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, sweetie," said Anna, trying to smile through her pain. "The baby's coming, that's all."

"The baby's coming?!" Kirsten said excitedly, suddenly awake.

"Yes, it is," said Anna, grimacing as another contraction hit.

"Yay!" said Kirsten, clapping her hands.

They heard running footsteps and the door burst open, revealing Elsa and Kristoff. Elsa immediately ran over to her sister.

"I sent Fredrik for the midwife," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"It hurts," Anna moaned, gritting her teeth as yet another contraction came.

"I know," said Elsa soothingly, stroking her hair. "But you've been through this once before, so you know how it goes. And I'll be right here beside you."

"Thanks, Elsa," said Anna, taking her hand and trying to smile.

"You're welcome," said Elsa, smiling back.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Greta, the midwife, entered, Fredrik right behind her. She was an older, matronly woman, short and plump, with a kind face and dark hair pulled back in a tight bun at the base of her neck.

"Good afternoon, everyone," she said, smiling. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I'll need the room cleared out so I can prepare Princess Anna for delivery."

"Can Elsa stay?" Anna asked.

"I will allow Queen Elsa to stay," said Greta. "But I need everyone else out."

"Understood," said Kristoff, speaking for the first time since entering the room. "Come along, Kirsten." He held out his hand.

"But I wanna stay with Mama," said Kirsten, not moving from her spot on the bed.

"I know you do, but Mama needs to concentrate on having the baby," said Kristoff. "You can see her later."

"Aw, okay," said Kristen, and she got off the bed, but not before giving her mother a kiss. "Bye, Mama."

"Bye, sweetie," said Anna, smiling. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay," said Kirsten.

Kristoff came over to give Anna a kiss. "Do your thing," he whispered.

"I'll do my best," said Anna, giving him a weak smile.

"I know you will," said Kristoff, smiling back. "Elsa, take care of her, will you?"

"I always do," said Elsa, smiling.

"We'll see you later, then," said Kristoff. "Come on, Fredrik. Our presence is no longer required."

"Wow, for having almost no experience with royals, you're certainly starting to sound like one," said Fredrik as they left the room with Kirsten, closing the door behind them.

"Well, now that that's taken care of," said Greta, becoming business-like. "Princess Anna, how are you feeling?"

"Okay," Anna answered, tensing as another contraction hit. "The pains are less than ten minutes apart."

"How long ago did your water break?"

"About fifteen minutes ago."

"That's a good sign, then," said Greta.

"What do you mean, it's a good sign, Greta?" Elsa asked.

"Well, with your sister's pains less than ten minutes apart, it means that this birth might be quicker and easier than her first one," Greta answered.

"Really?" said Anna. "I hope so. Kirsten seemed to take forever."

"I have to ask again, but are there any complications to consider?" Elsa asked.

"Once again, I do not foresee any problems, Your Majesty," Greta answered. "Your sister is still young and healthy. I have every confidence that she will make it through without trouble. Right now, as far as I can see, things seem to be progressing quite smoothly."

"What should we do in the meantime?" Elsa asked.

"For right now, just keep her relaxing between contractions," Greta replied. "With the way things are progressing, she could deliver as early as this evening." She looked at the clock. "If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty, I just have to gather a few things and then I'll be right back up to check on her."

"That's quite all right, thank you, Greta," said Elsa, smiling.

"My pleasure, Your Majesty," said Greta, and she left.

Elsa went back to Anna. "How are you feeling?" she asked again.

"I'm okay for now," said Anna, gritting her teeth through yet another contraction. "Elsa, thank you again for being here. I don't know what I would do without you."

"There's nowhere else I would rather be," said Elsa, smiling.

* * *

 _A few hours later….._

It was evening. Kristoff was in the dining room eating dinner with Fredrik, Kirsten, and Bella, who was in her high chair. As Elsa was still occupied with Anna, Fredrik was in charge of feeding his daughter, but it wasn't going very well. It seemed she didn't like being fed by anyone but her mother. Eventually, Fredrik gave up and just let her sit while he finished at his own leisurely pace. Kristoff, he noticed, was eating with his usual gusto.

"Well, you seem pretty relaxed for a man whose wife is about to give birth," he commented with a smile on his face.

"Don't let my outward appearance fool you," said Kristoff, smiling back. "I'm still nervous."

"How can you be?" Fredrik asked. "This is your second, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but….." Kristoff trailed off. "You know mine and Anna's history. I suppose after what she and I went through together, I'll always be anxious about her whenever she's in pain. It's better than not caring about her at all. Worrying about someone makes you care more about them."

"You're absolutely right," said Fredrik, smiling again.

Kristoff was about to say something back when the doors to the dining room opened and Elsa walked in. He immediately stood up, but before he could ask about Anna, Kirsten piped up.

"Hi, Auntie Elsa!" she said, running over to give her aunt a hug.

"Hello, sunshine," said Elsa, hugging back.

"Is my baby sister here yet?" Kirsten asked.

"Baby sister?" Elsa asked.

"Yeah!" said Kirsten. "Me and Mama think it's gonna be a baby sister!"

"Oh, I see," said Elsa, kneeling down in front of her niece. "Well, I'm sorry, sweetie, but she's not here yet."

"Aw, but I've been waiting for _ever_!" said Kirsten.

Elsa chuckled. It hadn't been forever, but a child Kirsten's age didn't have much concept of time, so she just decided to play along. "I know, sweetie, but you'll have to wait a little longer, okay? You can see her as soon as she's here."

"Okay," said Kirsten, puckering her lips in a pout.

Elsa smiled and stood back up to address Kristoff.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She's doing just fine," Elsa answered. "Obviously, there's no baby yet, but her pains are closer together now, and Greta believes it could be fairly soon, an hour or two at the most."

"So, why are you down here when she's so close to delivering?" Kristoff asked, trying to ignore Kirsten pulling on his arm to be lifted up.

"Greta sent me to get some tea while she gets fresh towels," Elsa answered.

"You left Anna alone?!" said Kristoff in disbelief.

Elsa narrowed her eyes, having picked up on Kristoff's tone, but she chose to overlook it. "Hardly," she said. "Ida and Siri are looking after her." Ida and Siri were Greta's two assistants. "Besides, just after the Great Thaw, Anna made me promise that I would never leave her longer than I have to."

Just then, Gerda came in, carrying a tray with a teapot and two cups, along with cream and sugar. "Here is the tea you requested, Your Majesty," she said.

"Thank you, Gerda, but how did you know?" Elsa asked.

"My dear, I've lived and worked in this castle for many years," Gerda answered, winking. "I know everything that goes on around here."

Elsa narrowed her eyes again, but playfully this time.

"All right," said Gerda, smiling. "Greta sent a messenger down to the kitchens ahead of you. She figured you might get waylaid."

"Thank you again, Gerda," said Elsa, smiling back and taking the tray from her.

"If I may ask, Your Majesty, how is Her Highness doing?" Gerda asked. "Is there any news?"

"She's doing well," Elsa answered. "No baby yet, but we think she's getting close."

"Well, I will keep her in my thoughts," said Gerda, smiling again.

"I appreciate that, Gerda," said Elsa, smiling. "I will inform you once the baby's arrived."

"I look forward to it, Your Majesty," said Gerda, and she curtsied before exiting the room.

"Well, I'd better get this back up to Anna's room," said Elsa, making her way to the door. "Lord knows how upset she might be at my extended absence."

"Elsa, I know I've already said this," Kristoff began. "But please take care of her. She's my life."

Elsa smiled at him. "I know," she said, and she left.

Fredrik came up behind him and clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, relax," he said in a calming voice. "She'll be just fine. Elsa is taking care of her."

"I know," said Kristoff. "And I trust her. But it's hard not being in there with her."

"I understand," said Fredrik. "Tell you what; why don't we go wait in the library? We'll be far enough away that you won't be able to hear her cries, but close enough that we'll know what's going on."

"Anything to be as near to her as I can," said Kristoff. He held out his hand. "Come along, Kirsten."

"Where we going, Papa?" Kirsten asked, running over to him and taking his hand.

"We're going to the library for a little while," Kristoff answered.

"Why?" Kirsten asked on their way out, Fredrik and Bella behind them.

"Just to sit and relax for a little while," Kristoff answered. "And also to be near Mama while she's having the baby."

"Okay!" said Kirsten.

Once they had reached the library, Kirsten immediately went over to the bookshelf and pulled out her favorite fairy tale book. She brought it back to her father to read to her. He settled her on his lap, opened the book, and began reading, but he barely registered any of the words. His mind kept drifting off to his and Anna's room. He hoped she was okay.

* * *

Back upstairs, there was a flurry of activity. Anna's pains were now less than a minute apart, which meant she was very close to delivering. Greta's two assistants, Ida and Siri, were getting everything ready for the new baby, laying out fresh towels and blankets and heating water. They were young women a few years younger than Anna. Ida had curly red hair tied back in a bun, and Siri had dark hair tied back in a single, long braid down her back. Both had the fair skin that was common for women of that region.

Elsa was sitting in a chair next to Anna, talking to her in a low, soothing voice. When Anna wasn't crushing her hand during contractions, she was sending puffs of cool air across her face to help cool her down.

"Breathe, Anna, you're doing fine," she said. "It won't be long now."

"Oh, Elsa, it hurts!" Anna moaned.

"I know," said Elsa soothingly, stroking her hair back off her sweaty forehead. It was the first time that she was able to sympathize with her sister, having gone through it once before herself.

"Aaaaagh!" Anna wailed as another contraction tore through her body. "I don't remember it hurting this much when Kirsten was born. I thought it was supposed to get easier after the first one."

Elsa started to say something, but just then, Greta came bustling over, a fresh towel over her arm. "All right, Your Highness, let's see how you're doing." She took a moment to check between Anna's legs. "Looks like we're ready." She grabbed a stool and sat down on it, ready for when the baby came out. "Now, on this next contraction, I need you to push. Are you ready?"

"I was born ready," said Anna. The next pain came, and she pushed down hard, screaming and crushing Elsa's hand in the process while Greta called out encouragement from the other end.

"That's it! Good girl! Good girl! Keep going! I can see the head! The head is out! Now, one more big push, and this baby will be here!"

Anna squeezed her eyes shut and bore down hard, pushing with all the strength she had left, screaming at the top of her lungs with the pain. Just when she thought she couldn't push anymore, she felt a release, the pain stopped, and she heard a beautiful cry.

"It's a girl!" Greta shouted joyfully.

Anna smiled weakly and collapsed against the pillows, exhausted.

"You did great, Anna," said Elsa, smiling. "I'm so proud of you."

"You are?" Anna asked, surprised.

"I've always been proud of you," said Elsa. "Even if I was never able to say it."

"Thanks, Elsa," said Anna, squeezing her hand one final time before letting go.

Greta came over then, carrying the new baby, who was now clean and wrapped in a fuzzy pink blanket.

"Congratulations, Your Highness," she said, smiling as she placed the baby in her arms.

"Thank you so much, Greta," said Anna, smiling back.

"Once again, it was my pleasure, Your Highness," said Greta. She went back over to where Ida and Siri were cleaning and packing things up.

Anna gazed down at her new daughter. She had amber eyes the same shade as her father's and a tuft of ginger hair like her mother's. "Hello, my sweet girl," she said, gently brushing her cheek. "I'm your mama. I'm so happy to meet you." She looked up at Elsa. "And this is your Auntie Elsa. She's happy to meet you, too."

Elsa smiled down at her new niece. "Hello, sweet baby girl," she said softly, gently stroking her little hand.

"Oh, Elsa, can you believe it?" Anna asked, looking back down at the baby. "Another beautiful, perfect baby girl."

"Actually, I can," said Elsa, smiling again. "Shall I inform Kristoff?"

"Of course," said Anna. "Kirsten has to meet her new baby sister."

"Okay, I'll be right back," said Elsa, standing up. "Don't move." She pointed a finger at her sister, but she was still smiling.

"Elsa, I just gave birth. Where would I be going?" Anna said teasingly.

"Knowing you, it could be anywhere," said Elsa, teasing back. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

She made her way out the door and down the hallway, searching for Kristoff. Not finding him anywhere in the family wing, she went down one floor, where she heard voices coming from the library. She peeked inside to see Kristoff and Fredrik conversing in low voices, their daughters on their laps. Both girls had fallen asleep in their fathers' laps, Kirsten's thumb in her mouth. Elsa cleared her throat quietly to get their attention.

When Kristoff saw Elsa standing in the doorway, he carefully laid Kirsten down and immediately stood up. "How is she?" he asked.

"She's fine," Elsa answered.

Kristoff breathed a sigh of relief. "And the baby?" he asked.

"She's just fine, too," Elsa said.

"She?" Kristoff asked.

Elsa nodded, smiling. "Congratulations, Kristoff," she said. "You have another beautiful baby girl."

Kristoff ran his hand through his hair distractedly, but he was smiling. "Wow," he said. "Another girl. Can I see them?"

"Of course," said Elsa, smiling.

"Thanks," said Kristoff. "Just let me put Kirsten down first." He gently scooped Kirsten into his arms.

"Oh, let me do that," said Elsa, holding out her arms for her niece. "You go see Anna."

"Well, okay, if you insist," said Kristoff hesitantly.

"I do," said Elsa, gently taking Kirsten from him. "Now, go see your wife and new daughter."

"Thanks, Elsa," said Kristoff, smiling at her.

"You're welcome," said Elsa. "Now get!" She flicked her fingers and a small gust of wind started pushing him down the hall.

"All right, I'm going, I'm going!" said Kristoff. Elsa just chuckled as he disappeared down the hall.

Fredrik came up beside her, still cradling a sleeping Bella. "You and your sister," he said. "Both of you are quite the handful."

Elsa just smiled at him.

Meanwhile, Kristoff had made his way upstairs to the family wing. He stopped just inside the doorway of his and Anna's bedroom. Anna was sitting up, propped against a few pillows, holding a small bundle of blankets. Her hair had come loose from its braids and was now a snarled mess around her shoulders. Her face shone with sweat, but Kristoff thought she had never looked more beautiful.

Anna looked up and smiled when she saw him standing there. "Kristoff, come meet your daughter," she said.

Kristoff smiled and made his way over to the side of the bed. He didn't feel nearly as awkward as when Kirsten had been born. He leaned down and gave her a sweet, lingering kiss.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," said Anna. "Sit down." She patted the bed next to her and Kristoff sat down. "Where's Kirsten?"

"She fell asleep waiting for the new baby," Kristoff answered. "Elsa's putting her down for the night."

"That's okay," said Anna. "She can meet her in the morning."

Kristoff looked at the bundle in Anna's arms. "Can I hold her?" he asked.

"Of course," said Anna, smiling. "Here." She gently set the bundle of blankets in his arms.

Kristoff gazed down at his new daughter. "She's beautiful, Anna," he said softly.

"I think she looks more like you this time," said Anna. "Especially the color and shape of her eyes."

"But once again, she has your perfect little nose," said Kristoff, smiling.

Anna scoffed. "I'd hardly call it perfect," she said.

"Well, I think it is," said Kristoff, and he reached over and tapped her nose with his finger, making Anna giggle.

"We still have to name her," she said.

"I honestly haven't thought of any names," said Kristoff.

"Well, I named Kirsten, so it's your turn now," said Anna teasingly.

Kristoff thought for a moment, then he said, "Susanna."

"Susanna," Anna repeated softly. "It's perfect."

There was a knock on the door and Fredrik came in. "I hear we have a new little princess," he said, smiling. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," said Anna, smiling back. "And thank you for keeping Kristoff occupied. Lord knows it's easier when he's not hyperventilating over me, like last time."

"I was not hyperventilating!" said Kristoff defensively.

"Actually, from what I remember, you looked about ready to pass out," said Elsa's voice from behind him. "And truthfully, it is easier when the men aren't present."

"Speaking of men, I think it's my turn to hold the little princess," said Fredrik, and he gently took Susanna from her father. "Oh, look at you. Poor thing. You look just like your father."

Elsa smacked him. "Fredrik, that was not nice!" she scolded.

"Don't worry, I was just teasing," said Fredrik, smiling at her. "She's still beautiful."

"Teasing or not, I think it's my turn to hold her now," said Elsa, gently taking her niece from him.

"Wait a minute, I hardly got to hold her!" Fredrik protested.

"Well, after that last comment, I don't think you deserve to," said Elsa, starting to rock her niece back and forth. "Besides, I think she looks more like me." She smiled cheekily at him.

Fredrik just shook his head. "I feel that I have already lost this battle," he said.

Anna smiled. She didn't know just how much she loved everyone in this room, but as she watched the scene before her, she felt her heart burst and overflow with it. Nothing made her more happy than family. She would always love her family, no matter what.

* * *

 **Welcome, Susanna! Now, just so you know what to expect, I've planned this fic to have three chapters total.** **Next up will be Elsa and Fredrik welcoming their second child.**

 **Cover image credit goes to himymRobinStinson on DeviantArt.**

 **Thanks for reading! Another chapter coming soon! :)**


	2. Heir to the Throne

**Hey guys, I apologize for the late update. But what with working two out-of-home jobs and getting my computer fixed and taking care of my mom after a procedure she had on Friday, the last weeks have been hectic. I'm sure you know how it is when life gets in the way. But finally, here it is, chapter 2. This one gave me a bit of trouble, but I managed get it out. Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows so far! They mean a lot! I have nothing else to say except that I hope you enjoy, and keep reviewing!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Heir to the Throne**

It was a bleak, dreary day in Arendelle. Clouds scudded across the gray sky and there was a hint of rain in the air. Those villagers who were brave enough to weather the coming rain were scurrying about the village square, completing various errands and catching up on the latest gossip. The main topic of conversation for the last several months had been the second pregnancy of Queen Elsa. Ever since the official announcement at the end of last summer, everyone had been happily anticipating the royal birth. The queen and her prince consort already had a beautiful daughter, but they were hoping for a boy this time. If it was a boy, then the queen would have an heir to keep the royal bloodline going. If not, they would simply try again. After all, they were quite an affectionate couple.

But whether they were aware of it or not, the royal family heard none of the gossip. They were currently ensconced in the castle, relaxing in various rooms or scurrying about completing different tasks or errands for their matriarchs. Actually, the men were the ones scurrying about on errands. The women, on the other hand, were perfectly content to sit in the royal suite chatting about whatever came to their minds, along with their daughters, Kirsten, who was four, Bella, who was two, and Susanna, who was one. Kirsten and Bella were currently chasing each other around the room, throwing magical snowballs at each other (Bella had inherited Elsa's snow and ice magic), and Susanna was sitting in her mother's lap on the bed. As Elsa was now in her last month of pregnancy, she had to rest often. Luckily for her, Anna and her daughters were quite frequent visitors.

Anna had found a name book in the library and was currently helping Elsa pick out names for the new baby. Normally, it would have been her and Fredrik picking out names, but he hadn't been much help in this matter. The only names he had been coming up with were ones for girls. He kept insisting that the baby was a girl, whereas Elsa kept insisting the baby was a boy. So Elsa had banished him from the room. He and Kristoff were currently off somewhere, doing whatever it is men do when their wives kick them out.

"Here's a nice name," said Anna, pointing to one about halfway down the page. "Aleksander. You could call him Aleks for short."

"I like this one," said Elsa, pointing to another one a little way below the first.

Anna leaned forward to get a better look. "Dominik. That's a nice name, too. You could call him Dom or something." She smiled.

"Must you shorten every name we find?" Elsa asked, but she was smiling, too. "What's the point of giving your child a long name if you're just going to shorten it, anyway?"

"You shortened Bella's name," Anna pointed out. "Besides, a child with a long name wouldn't want to be called his full name all the time. It'd be too much of a mouthful, for anyone."

"You do have a point there," said Elsa thoughtfully. "I suppose we could just use the shortened name among family and close friends."

"There you go!" said Anna triumphantly. "Problem solved! Oh, by the way, what was that one girl's name that you liked for Bella?"

"Elina," Elsa answered.

"Kind of sounds like your name," said Anna.

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?" said Elsa. "I never gave it much thought."

"Well, I'm sure any name you pick out will be nice," said Anna, smiling again.

"Thanks, Anna," said Elsa, smiling back.

"You're welcome," said Anna, and then she suddenly jumped up from the bed. "Oh! I almost forgot! I have something for you! Don't go anywhere!"

"Where am I going to go?" Elsa asked.

That stopped Anna, but only briefly. "Good point," she said. "I'll be right back!" And she rushed out of the room, returning seconds later with a package wrapped in brown paper. "Here." She gave it to Elsa.

"What is it?" Elsa asked, taking the package and looking at her curiously.

"Open it and see," said Anna, grinning.

Elsa carefully unwrapped the package and gasped. Inside was a beautiful baby blanket, hand-knitted with soft yarn in various shades of blue, interspersed with snowflakes of varying sizes and shapes.

"Oh, Anna," Elsa breathed. "It's beautiful."

"Kristoff and I picked it out," said Anna, sitting back down beside her sister. "Well, actually, I picked it out, but Kristoff escorted me into town. Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it!" said Elsa, hugging her, which was somewhat difficult due to her large stomach. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," said Anna, breaking apart and smiling at her.

Suddenly, there was a loud smack and Susanna started crying. Anna and Elsa whipped their heads around and saw snow in her hair. It appeared that one of Bella's and Kirsten's snowballs had gone haywire and accidentally hit Susanna in the head. Anna immediately picked her up and started rocking her.

"Kirsten, come here," she said firmly. Kirsten shuffled over, looking close to tears. "Did you throw that snowball?"

"Yes, Mama," said Kirsten. "But it was an accident!"

"I know it was, but you need to be more careful," said Anna. "Starting now, no more snowball fights, magical or otherwise, around Susanna."

"But Mama—" Kirsten protested.

"No buts," Anna interrupted. "Now come apologize to your sister."

Kirsten climbed up onto the bed and gave her sister a hug. "I'm sorry, Su," she said. "I love you." Susanna just babbled.

"Come here, Bella," said Elsa. Anna lifted Bella onto the bed to sit next to her mother. "I know you have fun with your snow, but you need to be careful around other people, especially your little cousin. Okay, snowflake?"

"K," said Bella, and she snuggled up next to her. Elsa wasn't sure if she quite understood what she had said, but she didn't think she would do it again, not in front of Susanna, anyway.

"Auntie Elsa?" said Kirsten, scooting closer to her. "Can I feel the baby?"

"I'm not sure you'll be able to, sweetie," said Elsa, rubbing her belly. "He's been very quiet today."

"Aw," said Kirsten, pouting.

Elsa leaned forward a bit and lowered her voice. "But maybe if he knows you're waiting, he'll kick just for you."

"Really?" said Kirsten, perking up.

"You want to try?" Elsa asked.

"Uh-huh!" said Kirsten, and she scooted even closer and put her hands on her aunt's large belly. "Hi baby boy. I'm your cousin, Kirsten. You have another girl cousin and a big sister. We love you." She was then quiet for a moment. After what felt like forever, she felt something bump against her hand. She gasped excitedly. "He moved, Auntie Elsa! He moved! Just for me!"

"I felt him," said Elsa, smiling.

"Okay, girls, I think it's time we leave Auntie Elsa alone to rest," said Anna, picking up Susanna. "It's almost time for dinner, anyway."

"Okay," said Kirsten, but not before giving Elsa a hug. "I love you, Auntie Elsa."

"I love you, too, sweetie," said Elsa, hugging back.

"Come on, Bella!" said Kirsten. Anna helped Bella off the bed and the four of them headed to the door.

"Should I have Gerda bring up a tray for you?" Anna asked.

"Yes, thank you, Anna," said Elsa, smiling at her.

"Okay, I'll see you later, then," said Anna, smiling back, and then she and the girls disappeared into the hall.

* * *

It was sometime after dinner. Elsa was reading a book when she heard footsteps out in the hall and Fredrik came in.

"There's my beautiful wife," he said, smiling as he joined her on the bed.

"Hi," said Elsa, leaning over and kissing him.

"Hi back," he said. "How's our little princess?" He rubbed her belly.

"You mean prince," said Elsa, smiling.

"Oh, so you still think it's a boy, do you?" Fredrik asked teasingly.

"Fredrik, I know it's a boy," said Elsa, rubbing her belly in turn. "I'm a mother; I can sense these things."

"Oh, is that so?" said Fredrik, and he leaned forward again. "Hello, sweetheart," he said to Elsa's bump. "Your mama thinks you're a boy. Isn't that something? But you know what I think? I think you're another beautiful girl. We'll show your mama when you come out, won't we?"

"Fredrik, stop it," Elsa scolded, but she was smiling. "It's a boy, and that's final."

"It's not final until she's born," said Fredrik, smiling back.

"You mean 'he'," Elsa corrected.

"Right," said Fredrik, smiling.

They continued their playful banter for the next couple of hours. The conversation soon turned to names, with Elsa reading out her favorites while Fredrik rubbed her feet. Her reading would occasionally be interrupted by her squeals when Fredrik would "accidentally" tickle her toes. Once, she laughed so hard that the baby kicked.

Eventually, Elsa tired out and fell asleep. She couldn't lie comfortably on her side anymore, so she was forced to lie on her back. Fredrik lay on his side, rubbing her belly and watching her sleep. It wasn't long before he, too, succumbed to sleep.

It felt like he had barely fallen asleep before he felt Elsa shaking him awake. At first, his brain was too foggy from sleep that he didn't quite register what she was saying.

"Fredrik!" she whispered, more urgently this time.

"Whassamatter?" Fredrik mumbled.

"My water broke," Elsa whispered. "I think it's time."

"Time for what?" Fredrik mumbled again.

"The baby, Fredrik!" said Elsa, louder so he could hear her.

Suddenly, Fredrik was wide awake. "The baby!" he said, sitting up and looking at her. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," said Elsa, grimacing when she felt her first pain. "Get Anna."

Fredrik wasted no time in getting up and running out the door and down the hall to Anna and Kristoff's room. As the situation was urgent, he didn't bother knocking. He hurried over to Anna's side of the bed and started shaking her awake.

"Anna," he whispered, shaking her shoulder. Nothing. "Anna!"

Anna mumbled incoherently but still didn't wake up. Fortunately, Kristoff wasn't as heavy a sleeper and had woken up. "Fredrik, what is it?" he asked sleepily.

"Elsa's pains have started," Fredrik answered. "We think it's time."

At those words, Kristoff came wide awake and sat up. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive," said Fredrik. "I wanted to tell Anna first, but I can't get her to wake up."

"Let me try," said Kristoff, and he started shaking her. "Anna. Anna!" he said loudly.

Finally, Anna stirred and woke up. "Kristoff, what is it?" she mumbled.

"Elsa's in labor," Kristoff answered.

Anna rolled over and closed her eyes again. "Elsa's…..in labor." Then suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she sat up, wide awake. "Elsa's in labor! Fredrik, fetch Greta! Kristoff, find Ida and Siri!" While she had been talking, Anna had shot out of bed and put on her dressing gown. "I have to go see Elsa!"

"Hey, hey, Anna, calm down," said Kristoff, getting up and walking over to her. "Slow down and take a breath."

"I can't slow down, Elsa needs me," said Anna, scurrying out of the room. When she reached the royal suite, she saw Elsa sitting up in bed, breathing hard through another contraction. Despite the pain, Elsa smiled in relief when she saw her sister.

"Oh, Anna, I'm so glad you're here," she said, holding out her hand. Anna immediately went over to her and grasped it. "I was beginning to think Fredrik had forgotten about me."

"Don't worry, I've sent him to fetch Greta and I sent Kristoff to fetch Ida and Siri," said Anna. "Besides, Fredrik would never forget about you; he loves you too much." She smiled.

Elsa smiled back, but then it turned into a grimace when she felt another pain. She squeezed Anna's hand tightly while she bore through it.

Soon, they heard hurried footsteps out in the hall and then the door opened to reveal Greta, the midwife, and her two assistants, Ida and Siri. Kristoff and Fredrik were right behind them.

"What took you men so long?" Anna asked.

"Well, Fredrik was panicking, so it took me a minute to calm him down and then we ran into a little distraction before we even got to the stairs," said Kristoff, smiling.

"What kind of distraction?" Anna asked suspiciously, but then her question was answered almost immediately when a little blonde-haired figure stepped out from behind Kristoff.

"Mama?" said Kirsten sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh, Kirsten, what are you doing up?" Anna asked, hurrying over to her.

"I heard peoples shouting," said Kirsten, yawning.

"Well, I'm sorry we woke you, angel," said Anna.

"Why was you shouting, Mama?" Kirsten asked.

"We were just excited," Anna answered. "Auntie Elsa's about to have the new baby."

"Really?" said Kirsten, perking up. "Is that why Papa and Uncle Fwedwik got these other peoples?"

"Yes, because Auntie Elsa needs help having the baby," Anna answered. "Though Papa should have put you back to bed before fetching them." She glared at Kristoff.

"Sorry," said Kristoff sheepishly. "We went as fast as we could, despite the distraction." He smiled again.

"Well, never mind that now," said Anna impatiently. "Greta, can you please check on Elsa?"

"Certainly, Your Highness, but I will need the men and the little princess out before I can do so," Greta answered.

"You heard her, Fredrik," said Kristoff, smiling and clapping a hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder. "Come along, Kirsten. Back to bed." He held out his hand.

"But I wanna stay with Auntie Elsa," said Kirsten, pouting.

"I'm sorry, but Auntie Elsa needs to concentrate on having the baby," said Kristoff. "Besides, a growing girl like you needs sleep. Come on. You can see your new baby cousin in the morning."

"Okay," said Kirsten, taking her father's hand, and the three of them left the room, closing the door behind them.

Greta then shuffled over to the bedside. "Good evening, Your Majesty," she said, bobbing a quick curtsy. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," said Elsa, breathing hard as another pain came.

"How far apart are your pains?" Greta asked.

"Less than ten minutes," Elsa replied breathlessly.

"Good," said Greta, smiling approvingly. "This will make it another easy birth."

The next few minutes were spent making the necessary preparations for the arrival of the new royal baby. Ida and Siri laid out fresh towels and blankets and started heating water while Greta checked Elsa's progress. Other than fluffing her sister's pillows and making sure she was comfortable, there wasn't much for Anna to do. But Elsa was perfectly content with her sitting by her side and holding her hand.

"Hmm," said Greta thoughtfully, straightening from where she had been checking Elsa from the other end of the bed. "It looks like you're almost halfway there. It shouldn't be but another couple of hours before we welcome your new family member." She smiled.

"That soon?" Elsa asked, tensing as another contraction tore through her body.

"Well, it is different for every woman," said Greta. "But in my experience, the second child onward usually arrives quicker than the first."

"Ha! Told you!" said Anna, smiling at Elsa, who returned it weakly.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to fetch a few more things," said Greta. "Just make sure she's comfortable, calm, and relaxed. Ida and Siri will be here, and you can send one of them for me if anything changes."

"Thank you, Greta," said Anna, smiling at her.

"You're welcome, Your Highness," said Greta, and she left.

"So, how are you feeling?" Anna asked.

"Okay," Elsa answered, tensing again at the next pain. When it was over, she lay back against the pillows, breathing heavily. "Thank you for being here again. I'm so lucky to have a sister like you."

"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that," said Anna, smiling.

* * *

 _A couple hours later..._

Fredrik was sleeping; or at least trying to. He kept tossing and turning, worrying about Elsa. After Kristoff had put Kirsten back to bed, they had gone to the sitting room to wait. Fredrik had immediately started pacing, repeating what he had done two years ago while waiting for Bella to be born. More to keep himself from going crazy than anything else (even though it was nothing compared to how Fredrik must be feeling), Kristoff had pushed him down onto the sofa, holding him there until he had calmed down. Being a big, burly mountain man, it had been easy to get Fredrik to submit. He himself had then collapsed into an armchair and promptly fallen asleep. He had been snoring for the last hour, at least.

Fredrik hoped everything was all right. They hadn't heard anything since they had come in here about two hours ago. It was just like two years ago. It was so quiet, he was afraid that something was wrong. But nothing could be wrong, could it? They would have come and told him, wouldn't they?

Eventually, Fredrik gave up trying to sleep. He rolled off the couch with a sigh and went over to the window, sitting down on the cushioned bench beneath and resting his head against the cool glass. It was still dark out, but he could see the faintest tint of pink on the horizon, which meant dawn was approaching. He smiled. Dawn had always been Elsa's favorite time of day. Whether it was because it was so quiet at that time of day (what with there being very few servants about and the rest of the family still sleeping) that it gave her time to think, or if it was simply because she enjoyed watching the sun rise. He didn't know. He had never thought to ask her.

He then thought back to when they had first been married. He still considered himself to be the luckiest man on earth. How had he, a prince of the dreaded Southern Isles, managed to win the heart of the beautiful, yet ever-elusive Snow Queen?

Of course, he knew right from the start that it wouldn't be easy to gain her trust, especially judging from their first meeting. He had never told her, but he had noticed all the ice spreading around her in her anger. He had then tried to keep his distance, still staying close to her, but not so close that she would feel smothered. He didn't want to be the cause of another one of her icy outbursts.

Surprisingly, though, it hadn't taken nearly as long as he originally thought. It was only after another week or so that Elsa had begun to feel more comfortable around him. He figured Anna must have said something to her at some point in time. If that was the case, he now felt immensely grateful to his sister-in-law.

He smiled at their first moments together. Sure, she had been hesitant and tentative at first, but then, so had he. He was her first love, and she was his. And again, he didn't want to push her if she wasn't ready yet. As he told her on the trip to rescue Kirsten from his wicked younger brother, Hans, he was a very patient man. Except in this case.

He looked at the clock on the mantle piece and saw that it was just after four. He glanced back at Kristoff, who was still sleeping in the same armchair across the room. He turned back to the window and sighed in frustration. How much longer would he have to wait? But his mind was too tired to think anymore, and he drifted away again.

He hadn't realized he had fallen back asleep until he felt someone shaking him awake.

"Fredrik." He heard Kristoff's voice as though from far away. "Fredrik!" He pulled himself out of the haze of sleep enough to open his eyes. Kristoff's face slowly swam into focus.

"Kristoff?" he said, sitting up from where he had apparently been slouched against the window.

"I just received word from Greta about Elsa," Kristoff said.

Fredrik suddenly felt wide awake. "How is she? Is she okay? What about the baby?"

"Whoa, slow down!" said Kristoff, moving to sit next to him and place a calming hand on his shoulder. "She's just fine. No baby yet, but she's very close. Greta thinks it will be sometime within the next half hour or so. We can wait right outside the door if you want to be closer."

"I would, thank you, Kristoff," said Fredrik, standing up and stretching. "Will you wait with me again?"

"It would be my pleasure," said Kristoff, and they set off.

When they arrived in front of the doors to the royal suite, they couldn't hear any noise, but two chairs had been placed, one one either side of the doors. Fredrik sat down on one and Kristoff took the other. He noticed that Fredrik had immediately started jiggling his leg in anxiousness.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked.

"Fine," said Fredrik, not looking at him.

"So, do you think it's going to be a boy this time, or another girl?" Kristoff asked, slightly changing the subject.

"Another girl," Fredrik answered without hesitation.

"You're sure?" Kristoff asked.

"Positive," said Fredrik. "But Elsa's not convinced. She keeps insisting the baby is a boy."

"Well, I guess only time will tell," said Kristoff, smiling at him.

"I suppose you're right," said Fredrik, and they sat in companionable silence for the next half hour.

* * *

Back in the royal suite, there was a flurry of activity. Greta and both her assistants, Ida and Siri, were bustling about, laying out more fresh towels and blankets and heating more water.

Elsa's pains were less than a minute apart, so she was very close to delivering. Anna was still sitting next to the bed, murmuring words of encouragement. Since Elsa had gone into labor a few hours ago, she hadn't left her side once.

"Just breathe, Elsa, you're doing fine. You're almost there," she said, gently brushing her sister's bangs off her sweaty forehead.

"I hope so. I'm so ready for this baby," Elsa moaned, then grimaced as another contraction came.

"Well, you are more patient than I am," said Anna, smiling.

"Well, I'd had thirteen years alone to practice," said Elsa.

Just then, Greta came over to check Elsa's progress. "Looks like we're ready," she said. She grabbed a stool to sit on and a fresh towel to clean the baby. "Now, on this next pain, Your Majesty, I need you to push, okay?"

"Okay," said Elsa. Anna helped her sit up a little more comfortably, fluffing the pillows some.

On the very next contraction, Elsa squeezed her eyes shut and bore down hard, pushing with every ounce of strength she had, while Greta called encouragement from the other end.

"That's it! Good girl! Good girl! I see the head! The head is out! Now, just one more big push and this baby will be here!"

Elsa squeezed Anna's hand in a death grip and pushed with her last ounce of strength. After a few seconds, she felt a release, the pain stopped, and there was silence. Silence that lasted a little too long.

"He's not breathing! Get him to the table!" came Gerda's frantic voice.

Elsa's eyes flew open and she looked wildly around at Anna. "Anna, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked urgently.

"I don't know," said Anna, her voice shaking.

But they barely had time to worry when they heard a smack and then a beautiful cry. A normal, healthy cry. Greta cleaned the baby and wrapped him in a fuzzy blanket. She carried him over to the bed.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty," she said, smiling and placing the baby in Elsa's arms. "You have a beautiful baby boy."

"Is he okay?" Elsa asked, looking down at her newborn son.

"He's just fine," Greta answered. "There was some fluid inside his esophagus, but one good smack dislodged it."

"Thank you, Greta," said Elsa, smiling up at the older woman.

"My pleasure, Your Majesty," said Greta, smiling back. She and her two assistants cleaned everything up and gathered their things before they left the two sisters alone.

"Well, wouldn't you know it?" said Anna softly, gently stroking her nephew's cheek with her finger. "We have a little prince."

"I knew it was going to be a boy," said Elsa, smiling down at him. He looked like his father, with the same bright green eyes and straight nose, but with a shock of light blonde hair like his mother's.

"Shall I inform the men?" Anna asked.

"Of course," said Elsa, smiling mischievously. "I have to show Fredrik that he was wrong about the baby's gender."

"Okay, be right back," said Anna, practically bouncing out the door. She stopped when she saw Kristoff and Fredrik sitting right outside. When he heard the door open, Fredrik jumped up as though his chair had just been electrified. Kristoff stood up more slowly.

"How is she?" Fredrik asked. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Anna answered. "They're both just fine."

Fredrik hesitated before asking his next question. "Boy or girl?" he asked quietly.

"See for yourself," said Anna, stepping aside to let him re-enter the bedroom.

Fredrik entered the bedroom slowly and cautiously, not sure what he was about to see. Did he have another daughter, like he wanted, or did he have a son like Elsa wanted?

He stopped when he saw Elsa, sitting up in the bed, propped up against several snowy white pillows and singing softly to the small bundle of blankets in her arms. He took a step forward, causing the floorboards to creak and making Elsa look up. She smiled when she saw him.

"Fredrik, come meet your son," she said softly.

Fredrik stood stock-still, completely dumbfounded. "Our...son?" he finally managed to say.

"I told you it was going to be a boy, didn't I?" said Elsa, smiling wider, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Well, it looks like you have proved me wrong, love," said Fredrik, coming over to the bed. He sat down next to her and peeked at his newborn son, who was now asleep. The blankets almost covered his face.

"I think he looks like you this time," said Elsa.

"Sure you can handle two handsome males in your family?" Fredrik teased.

"Actually, I think I consider myself lucky," said Elsa, teasing back.

"Darn right," said Fredrik, and he kissed her.

"Want to hold him?" Elsa asked once they had broken apart.

"All right," said Fredrik, and Elsa gently placed their son in his arms. He stirred slightly, but didn't wake up.

"We still have to name him," Elsa said.

"What were you thinking?" Fredrik asked, still looking at their son. "You know me; I was only thinking of girl names."

"I was thinking Dominik," said Elsa.

"Dominik," Fredrik repeated softly. "You know, I think that was the name we liked for Bella if she had been a boy."

"You're right," said Elsa thoughtfully. "I guess I forgot."

"Do we still like it?" Fredrik asked, smiling at her.

"Absolutely," said Elsa, smiling back.

"Then Dominik it is," he said, and he kissed her again.

Someone cleared their throat and they broke apart to see Anna and Kristoff standing in the doorway. Anna was smiling and Kristoff was looking uncomfortable. Apparently, he had been the one to clear his throat.

"So," he said, in an attempt to break the slightly awkward silence. "I hear we have a little prince."

"Yes, Prince Dominik," Elsa answered.

"Good, strong name," said Kristoff. "Almost sounds like Fredrik's name." He smirked.

"Hey! I assure you that I had almost no part in naming him," said Fredrik light-heartedly.

"Hey Elsa, Kirsten woke up again and is asking to see the new baby," said Anna. "Is it all right if I bring her in?"

"Of course," said Elsa, smiling. "You know how excited she is about her new cousin."

"Okay, I'll go get her," said Anna, and she left the room.

Kristoff stood awkwardly in the doorway. "So," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his. "Looks like you now have an heir. Are you happy?"

"Actually, Kristoff, it doesn't matter to me that I have an heir," said Elsa. Fredrik started to say something, but she silenced him with an icy look. "All that matters is that I'm able to have moments like these. I wouldn't love him any less than if he had been another girl."

Just then, they heard a pattering of feet out in the hall before Kirsten came running in.

"Auntie Elsa!" she said in an excited voice. "Mama says the new baby is here! Can I see him?"

"Of course you can, sweetie," said Elsa, smiling.

Anna helped Kirsten climb up onto the bed so she could get a better look at her new cousin. "What's his name?" she asked.

"Dominik," Elsa answered.

"Hi Dominik," said Kirsten, leaning closer to him. "I'm your cousin, Kirsten. When you're bigger, we're gonna be bestest friends, like me and Bella and Susanna." She then looked up at Elsa. "Auntie Elsa, can Bella and Susanna meet him, too?"

"I'm sorry, sunshine, but it's still really early and they're too little to be up yet," Elsa answered.

"But I'm up," Kirsten pointed out.

"Well, we made an exception for you," said Anna. "Auntie Elsa is right; it's too early for your sister and cousin to be up yet. There will be plenty of time later for them to meet Dominik."

"Aw, okay," said Kirsten, pouting. She slid off the bed and ran over to her father, who picked her up and held her in his strong arms. Anna frowned and narrowed her eyes. She didn't like Kristoff picking up their older daughter, thinking she was too big now to be held. She opened her mouth to say something, but Elsa caught her eye and gave her a very queenly glare, and she closed it again.

"So Fredrik," said Kristoff, trying to gloss over the awkward moment. "How does it feel to be proven wrong?" He smirked at him.

"Well," said Fredrik, gently setting baby Dominik back in his mother's arms. "I thought I would be upset, but now that I've had a chance to hold him, I realize that it's no longer important."

"What isn't?" Elsa asked.

Fredrik smiled at her. "Winning," he said.

"Well, I for one am happy that we finally have a little boy in the family," said Anna, also smiling.

"Mama, can I have a baby brother?" Kirsten asked suddenly. Everyone looked at her.

"Where on earth did that come from?" Anna asked, genuinely shocked.

"'Cause Bella has a baby brother and I just has a sister," said Kirsten.

"I thought you loved your sister," said Anna.

"Yeah, but baby brothers are fun, too," said Kirsten.

"Well, we'll see what we can do, angel," said Anna, and she smirked up at Kristoff.

The family huddled together around the bed, each taking turns holding the new prince. Elsa couldn't believe that she now had two beautiful children, and her heart overflowed with love for them. She knew that nothing would harm them because of that love. It turned out to be one of the best days of her life. She loved her family and she would never let go of them as long as she lived.

* * *

 **Whew, that was a long one! I hope the ending doesn't sound rushed. I wanted to get this up before I have to leave for work. Again.  
**

 **Thanks for reading! Last chapter coming soon! :)**


	3. One More Birthday

**Hey guys, I really do apologize for the late update. It usually does not take me this long to finish a short story like this. But the thing is, I had trouble with this chapter. After writing four chapters like this, it was getting harder to write them. I didn't want them all to sound too much alike. But here it is, the final chapter, where Anna and Kristoff welcome their third child. Thank you so much for those of you who were kind enough to fave, follow, and review this story! Hope you enjoy, and keep reviewing! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: One More Birthday**

"No. Absolutely not. We are not naming our child that."

"What?"

"We are not naming our child Torvin."

"What's wrong with Torvin?"

"It's hideous! Do you want our child to go out in the world with a hideous name? He'll be laughed at!"

"Like your name is so much better."

"What's wrong with Hildegard?"

Kristoff shuddered. "It sounds like an old lady's name."

Anna scowled at him. "It just so happens that Hildegard was my grandmother's name. I thought it would be a nice way to honor her. Besides, we wouldn't have to use her full name all the time. We could shorten it to Hilde or something."

"I'm sorry, but I just can't get over the fact that it sounds old," said Kristoff, shrugging.

Anna narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. "You know what I think?" she said.

"What's that?" Kristoff asked.

"I think it should really be the _woman_ who names the baby," said Anna. "Because, after all, it is the _woman_ who carries the baby around for nine months and gives birth to it."

"Oh, you're going to pull that one on me?" said Kristoff, smirking.

"You know it's true," said Anna, choosing to ignore Kristoff's smirk and his snide comment.

It was late evening. They had been going back and forth like this for the past hour. Each of them would pick out a name that they liked, but they couldn't get the other to submit to it.

Kristoff opened his mouth to retort, but before he could say anything, there was a light tap on the door and Elsa came in, carrying a fussy one-year-old Dominik on her hip with three-year-old Bella right behind her, clutching her mother's skirts.

"What on earth are you two arguing about now?" she asked.

"We're not arguing, we're just discussing," Anna answered.

"I would hardly call that discussing, Anna," said Kristoff. Anna glared at him.

"Well, whatever you're doing, could you please keep it down?" Elsa asked, shifting a squirming Dominik to her other hip. "I'm trying to get Dominik back to sleep."

"Did you try singing to him?" Anna asked, trying to shift into a more comfortable position on the bed, but it was hard, as she was heavily pregnant with her and Kristoff's third child.

"I did that the first time I got him to sleep," Elsa answered. "And he had been sleeping for a good hour before you two woke him up with your loud 'discussion'."

"Sorry, we just can't agree on a name for the baby," said Anna. "Maybe you could help us?" She widened her eyes hopefully at her sister.

"I'm sorry, but I refuse to partake in your nonsensical bickering," Elsa answered. "Besides, I have two children to put to bed. Come along, Bella."

"No, not seepy," said Bella.

"Yes, you are," said Elsa, taking her by the hand and leading her out the door.

Anna sighed and looked back at Kristoff. "Well, Kristoff, we might as well just call it a night," she said. "We're not really getting anywhere with these names."

"Good idea," said Kristoff. He got up off the bed and stripped down until he was wearing just his trousers. "Maybe by morning, you will have changed your mind about my name choice." He smirked again as he rejoined her.

"That's funny, because I was going to say the same thing to you," said Anna, scooting down as best she could to lay on her back.

"Great minds think alike," said Kristoff, settling down under the covers.

"In your dreams," Anna muttered, before she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Anna slept later than usual, so Kristoff took the girls outside to the castle gardens to play. Elsa and Fredrik had had an early morning council meeting, so they had sent Bella and Dominik out, too, but not before Elsa gave Bella gentle but firm instructions that she was not to use her magic outside. The girls were currently chasing each other around, playing tag. Dominik was too little to join in yet, so he was sitting on the grass with his uncle.

A little while later, Kristoff was encouraging Dominik to stand when he heard quiet footsteps behind him. He looked up to see that Elsa and Fredrik had joined him.

"Hello, Kristoff," said Elsa, smiling at him.

"Hi, Elsa," said Kristoff, smiling back. "Fredrik. How was the council meeting?"

"I think it's best if we don't talk about it right now," said Fredrik quietly. Elsa had broken away from him and was now sitting on a bench a few feet away with her head in her hands, as though she had a headache.

"That bad, huh?" said Kristoff, looking over at Elsa.

"To put it delicately, it was a disaster," Elsa answered, raising her head and scraping her fingers through her already messy bangs.

Kristoff was about to say something sympathetic, but just then, Dominik reached out his hands and said, "Mama!"

"Oh, hello my handsome little boy," said Elsa, coming over and scooping him into her arms.

"Is Anna awake yet?" Kristoff asked.

"Yes, she is," Elsa answered. "No, no, Dominik." Dominik was currently chewing on the end of her braid. She made a snowflake for him to chew on instead. "Here you go, sweetie." Dominik squealed and popped the snowflake in his mouth. "I just checked on her, and I had Gerda bring up a tray for her."

Kristoff opened his mouth to say thank you, but just then, he heard a splash. He looked up to see that the girls were playing in the shallows of the pond a little way away. Kirsten had taken off her shoes and stockings and was crouching down with her hands in the water.

"Kirsten, what are you doing?" he asked sternly.

"Fishing," said Kirsten innocently.

"Fishing?" Kristoff repeated, confused.

"Yeah, like Mama taught me," said Kirsten. "I'm teaching Bella and Su."

"I don't think that's a very good idea," said Kristoff, going over to stand by her.

"Why not, Papa?" Kirsten asked.

"Well, for one thing, it's not warm enough for you to be wading in the pond barefoot," Kristoff answered. "And for another thing, you're too little yet to be doing it by yourself. What if you slipped and fell in the water and I didn't get there in time?"

Kirsten hung her head sadly. She obviously hadn't thought of that. "I'm sorry, Papa," she said quietly. "I just wanted to have fun."

"I know you did," said Kristoff, bending down so they were at eye level. "It's okay."

Kirsten flung her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

The rest of the morning passed in pleasurable company. Kirsten continued to play with her sister and cousins while the adults sat and chatted. They were on their way back inside for lunch when Gerda came scurrying up to the group, looking anxious.

"Your Majesty," she said breathlessly, bobbing a quick curtsy. "Your Highnesses, it's the princess."

Kristoff's stomach plummeted, and he was expecting the worst. "Is she all right?" he asked.

"She says her pains have started," Gerda replied. "She's asking for you."

"Naturally," said Elsa, and she started handing Dominik over to Fredrik. "Fredrik, take Dominik, please. I'll just-"

"Your Majesty, I mean no disrespect, but she's asked for Kristoff," said Gerda.

There was a moment of stunned silence. "Me?" said Kristoff finally. "Isn't there someone else with her?"

"Yes, Greta, Ida, and Siri," Gerda answered. "But this time, she requested – or, rather, demanded – that you be there, as well."

"Well, all right," said Kristoff hesitantly. He couldn't ignore a demand, especially when it came from Anna. "Just as long as she doesn't throw me out again."

"Just remain calm, and she'll have no reason to," said Elsa, smiling.

"Anna doesn't need a reason for anything," said Kristoff, smirking.

"Well, I can't argue that," said Elsa. "Now get going; your wife's expecting you."

Kristoff made to leave, but then turned back to Elsa, one foot on the stairs. "You'll watch the girls?" he asked.

"Of course," said Elsa. "Now get! You're wasting time."

At the command, Kristoff turned and hurried up the stairs out of sight.

Elsa watched him go until she felt a tug on her dress. She looked down to see Kirsten's worried face.

"Auntie Elsa?" she said, her voice trembling a little. "Is Mama okay?"

"Your mama is just fine," Elsa answered, bending down so she was at eye level with her niece. "The baby's coming, that's all."

Kirsten's whole demeanor changed in an instant. "The baby's coming?!" she said excitedly.

"Yes, the baby's coming," said Elsa, smiling.

"I wanna see, I wanna see!"

"I'm sorry, sunshine, but we have to wait to see the baby," said Elsa. "Remember with Susanna? It takes a while for the baby to come."

"Aw, but I get bored waiting," said Kirsten.

"I know you do, but you know what? Maybe we can do something fun while we wait," said Elsa, winking. "What would you like to do?"

"Ooh, ooh!" said Kirsten, bouncing up and down. "Build a snowman!"

Elsa smiled. "I was hoping you would say that," she said. She stood up, took Kirsten's hand, and started leading the group to the ballroom, Fredrik still carrying Dominik and Bella and Susanna following close behind.

Meanwhile, Kristoff was racing up the stairs to his and Anna's bedroom, taking stairs two at a time and hurtling around corners. Finally, he made it. He skidded to a halt in front of the door. He took a moment to catch his breath, then he opened the door and went in, to find Anna in a terrible state in bed. Greta and her two assistants, Ida and Siri, were bustling around, making the necessary preparations.

"Kristoff, where have you been?" Anna wailed when she saw him. She moaned as another contraction hit her and Kristoff hurried over to her side.

"I'm sorry, love," he said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "I had to make sure it was me you wanted and not Elsa."

"Why would I have said your name if I had wanted Elsa?" Anna asked, gritting her teeth as yet another pain coursed through her. "Don't get me wrong, I love my sister and was grateful that she was there for me when I had Kirsten and Susanna, but you weren't and I felt that it was only fair that you get to be here for this one."

"I'm so glad you think so," said Kristoff, smiling. "And I promise, I will try to remain calm, cool, and collected this time."

"You'd better," said Anna, trying to smile back through her pain. "I would hate to have to kick you out again."

"Actually, you didn't kick me out; Elsa and Greta did," said Kristoff.

"Yes, but I was the one who shouted at you to get out, remember?" Anna said.

Kristoff did remember. He had gotten himself so worked up, he had almost passed out. Anna and Elsa had had to kick him out. Him unconscious was the last thing they had needed.

"Well, I'm glad you're letting me stay with you this time," said Kristoff, kissing her sweaty forehead.

"Me, too," said Anna.

* * *

 _A few hours later..._

Evening had descended upon Arendelle. The air had cooled, but was still pleasant enough for a few stragglers to be out taking a walk. All of them were villagers, of course, as the royals had holed themselves up inside the castle in anticipation of the new royal family member. Not one of them dared leave the castle grounds in case there was news. This was why Elsa and Fredrik, along with four children, two belonging to them and the other two belonging to Anna and Kristoff, were found sitting in the family sitting room. Elsa was trying her best to entertain the girls and Fredrik was spending time with his son.

They had spent most of the afternoon in the ballroom, with Elsa building snowmen with the girls and Fredrik watching them with Dominik on his lap. The girls were giggling and running around, and it only ended when Kirsten asked for "tickle bumps". Elsa's demeanor had changed in an instant, and she had immediately ended the fun and cleared away all the snow. The girls were disappointed – Kirsten more so than her sister and cousin – but they soon forgot about it and made up a game on their own.

Now, Elsa was trying to get them to play a quiet game, but they kept getting excited, and she already had had to shush them more than once for being too loud. She was just starting to get frustrated when there was a tap on the door and Gerda came in, carrying a tea tray that clinked softly as she walked. Elsa immediately stood up.

"How is my sister?" she asked, worriedly wringing her hands and causing small snowflakes to spark from her fingers. "Is there any news?"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I haven't heard anything," Gerda replied. "But I'm sure that if there is any news, you will be the first to know. In the meantime, I thought you might like some tea."

"Thank you," said Elsa, and Gerda set the tray down on a side table. She bobbed a quick curtsy and left again.

Elsa started pacing, agitatedly wringing her hands again. It was something she always did when she was anxious or scared. At this moment, she was more anxious than ever.

"Elsa, stop it, you're making it snow," said Fredrik, gently but firmly.

Elsa stopped pacing and looked up. Sure enough, a light snow was falling from the ceiling. She closed her eyes and willed it to go away, and after a minute, it disappeared without a trace.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just so worried about Anna."

"I know you are," said Fredrik, coming over to her and wrapping her in his arms. "But she'll be just fine. Greta, Ida, and Siri are looking after her, and Kristoff is with her. You know Kristoff won't let anything happen to her."

"I know, but I have to be there, too," said Elsa, resting her head against his chest. "She's my sister, and after the Great Thaw, I promised I would always be there for her."

"And you are," said Fredrik, pulling apart just enough to look her in the eyes. "Just not in the same room."

"How is that being there for her if I'm not in the same room?" Elsa asked.

"It's your love for her," Fredrik answered. "She knows you love her as much as she loves you, and she carries that love with her wherever she goes."

"How did you get to be smarter than me?" Elsa asked, smiling.

"I don't know; sometimes, I amaze myself," said Fredrik, smiling back.

"I'm so glad I married you," said Elsa, dropping her head back onto his chest.

"So am I, love," he said, kissing her hair. "So am I."

* * *

Back in Anna and Kristoff's room, there was a buzz of activity. Greta, Ida, and Siri were bustling around making more preparations, and Kristoff was sitting by Anna's side, holding her hand. Her pains were now less than a minute apart, so she was very close to delivering. He thought his hand would be bruised from Anna squeezing it so tightly during her last few contractions, but as long as he was able to be with her, he could endure the pain.

"You're doing fine, Anna, just keep doing what you're doing," he said encouragingly.

"Kristoff, I am never doing this again, do you hear me?!" Anna yelled. "Never again!" She wailed as yet another contraction tore through her body.

"I didn't hear you complaining at the time," said Kristoff, smirking.

Anna couldn't do anything more than glare at him, because at that moment, Greta came over to check her progress.

"Looks like we're ready," she said, grabbing a stool to sit on while Ida handed her a towel to clean the baby. "Now, on this next pain, Your Highness, I need you to push. Are you ready?"

Anna just moaned. "She's ready," Kristoff answered for her.

At the very next wave of pain, Anna pushed with all her might, her teeth gritted with effort, while Greta and Kristoff called out encouragement.

"That's it! Good girl! Good girl!"

"You're doing great, Anna, just keep going!" Kristoff said.

"Shut up!" Anna yelled at him.

Finally, after one more big push, the baby slid free with a beautiful cry along with it.

"It's a boy!" Greta shouted happily.

Anna smiled weakly and collapsed against the pillows, exhausted. She looked at Kristoff, who was beaming at her.

"We have a son," he said.

"We have a son," Anna whispered.

Once the baby was clean, Greta wrapped him in a fuzzy blue blanket and handed him to his mother. She then started clearing away her things.

Anna gazed down at her newborn son. He looked just like his father: the same chocolate brown eyes, the large straight nose, the soft, full lips, and the shock of fuzzy blonde hair on his head.

"Oh, Kristoff, he looks just like you," said Anna, smiling at him.

"Poor thing," Kristoff teased, earning him a smack from Anna.

"What are we naming him?" she asked.

"Well, I haven't really thought of any names other than the one you don't like," Kristoff answered. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking Nikolai," Anna said.

"Nikolai?" Kristoff repeated.

"Yeah," said Anna. "I think he looks like a Nikolai, don't you?"

Kristoff looked back down at his son and smiled. "He sure does," he said. "Should I inform Elsa?"

"Yes, I think you'd better," said Anna. Her voice was serious, but she was smiling. "She's probably worried sick about me right now. I won't be surprised if she froze the kingdom again in her worried state."

"Okay, I'll go get her," said Kristoff, pecking her on the cheek before standing up. "Stay put."

"Kristoff, I'm not going anywhere," said Anna. "Just go get my sister."

"Yes, Your Highness," said Kristoff cheekily on his way out the door.

It only took him a few minutes before he found Elsa in the sitting room, curled up with Fredrik on the sofa, her eyes closed and her head resting on his shoulder. The other children were scattered around the room, also fast asleep. It seemed they had been playing a game, grown tired, and then just fallen asleep right where they were. He quietly padded over to Elsa, careful not to step on any of the children, and gently shook her shoulder.

"Elsa," he whispered. "Wake up."

Elsa stirred slightly and opened her eyes. Seeing that it was Kristoff, she sat bolt upright. "How's Anna? Is she okay?" she asked.

"Anna's fine," Kristoff replied, smiling. "They both are. It's a boy."

"I have to see her," said Elsa, scrambling off the sofa and accidentally waking Fredrik. He opened his eyes and peered at them blearily.

"What's going on?" he asked sleepily.

"Anna's had a baby boy," Elsa answered.

Fredrik came as wide awake as the others. "A baby boy, huh?" he said, standing up and shaking Kristoff's hand. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," said Kristoff, smiling.

"Okay, boys, we can continue this later," said Elsa impatiently. "Kristoff, can you please take me to my sister?"

"You know where her room is, why don't you just go by yourself?" said Kristoff, smirking. "Besides, you'll probably just run ahead of me in your haste to get there, anyway."

"Fine," Elsa huffed, and she hurried from the room. She had to give Kristoff credit, though, she thought as she made her way to his and Anna's room. He knew her better than she thought he did.

Finally, she reached their room. She tapped lightly on the door before entering. Anna was sitting in the bed, propped up by at least a dozen pillows and holding a bundle of blankets. She smiled when she saw Elsa.

"Elsa, come meet your nephew," she said softly.

Elsa crept quietly over to the bed and looked down at her newborn nephew. "He's so perfect, Anna," she said softly, gently brushing her finger across the baby's cheek. "What's his name?"

"Nikolai," Anna answered.

"Hello, Nikolai," said Elsa softly. "I'm so happy to meet you."

"So," said Anna, smirking at her sister. "No blizzards? No nervous fits?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that," came a voice from the doorway. They looked over to see the men standing there. Fredrik was smiling. It seemed he was the one who had spoken. He came over to join the sisters by the bed. "Congratulations," he said to Anna, leaning down and giving her a friendly peck on the cheek.

"Thanks," said Anna, smiling. "Nikolai, meet your aunt and uncle." But baby Nikolai was more content to sleep. "Elsa, I'm sorry I asked for Kristoff this time around, but I thought it was only fair for him to see the birth of at least one of our children. I felt I owed it to him after kicking him out just before Kirsten was born."

"It's okay, Anna, I understand," said Elsa, smiling. "I have to admit, though, I was worried there for a while, but Fredrik reassured me that Kristoff would take care of you and not let anything happen to you or the baby. For that, I am immensely grateful."

"Well, I made you a promise before I married Anna, and I intend to keep that promise until the day I die," said Kristoff, coming over to join the rest of the group.

"I know you will, Kristoff," said Elsa. "You are a man of your word and I trust you."

Kristoff's face turned red in embarrassment. That was the highest compliment he had ever received from her.

"I knew you two would get along," said Anna, breaking the awkward silence that had descended on the group.

"What, because we both like ice?" said Kristoff, smiling.

"No, it's because you have matching demeanors," Anna answered. "You're both quiet, shy, and awkward around large groups of people. But one thing that doesn't quite match is what you prefer to do when you're alone. Kristoff, you go to the stables to visit Sven, and Elsa, you go to your room or your study to work on something."

Elsa and Kristoff looked at each other, and then back at Anna. "Well, I admit that we do share some similarities, but we're more different than we are alike," said Elsa. "I know you said we get along well, but I think it has more to do with the fact that he's more easily likeable."

Kristoff turned red again.

"Well, then, enough of this," said Anna. "We're embarrassing each other. Let's just enjoy this time as a family, shall we?"

"Yes, we shall," Elsa agreed.

They all gathered around the bed, sharing together the most wonderful gift in the world, the gift of life.

* * *

 **Well, there you have it! I know childbirth was a woman's thing back then, but I felt it was only fair that Kristoff be present for this one, especially since Anna and Elsa kicked him before their first was born. :)**

 **Thanks for reading! :)**


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